Roots of Eternity

Chapter 20 - The Final Betrayal

The skies over Asgard darkened as the Bifrost roared to life. The sound echoed through the palace halls like a low, constant growl, filled with a foreboding energy that set my teeth on edge. Something was terribly wrong. I had felt it for days, the growing tension between oki and Thor, between Loki and... everyone.

I ran through the corridors, my heart racing in my chest. I could feel the crackling of energy in the air, and it terrified me. Loki's plan—whatever it was—was in motion, and I didn't know how to stop it.

The throne room doors loomed before me, and without thinking, I pushed them open. My breath caught in my throat.

Thor and Loki were in the middle of the room, their faces twisted in anger. Thor, his mighty hammer Mjolnir clutched in his hand, glared at Loki, who stood tall, his eyes cold and unreadable. Behind them, the Bifrost's light was visible, a rainbow bridge of destruction leading to Jotunheim.

"Loki!" Thor's voice boomed through the chamber, filled with rage and disbelief. "What are you doing? You can't destroy Jotunheim!"

Loki, standing tall and composed, tilted his head ever so slightly. His voice was calm, almost detached. "Why not, brother? Isn't it what Father would have wanted? To ensure that Asgard is safe forever?"

Thor's face twisted in fury, and he took a step toward Loki. "You know this isn't what he wanted. You've gone mad!"

I felt frozen, watching the scene unfold before me. I wanted to speak, to intervene, but the weight of the situation kept me rooted in place.

Loki glanced at me, his expression unreadable. "Ah, Helena. You've arrived just in time."

Thor turned to me, his eyes softening for a moment. "Helena, you shouldn't be here. Loki has—"

"Don't speak for her," Loki interrupted sharply, his gaze locking back onto Thor. "Helena understands what needs to be done. She's with me in this."

I opened my mouth to protest, but the words wouldn't come. I wasn't with him, not anymore. Not after everything he had planned. But how could I say that now, in front of Thor, in front of Loki? My heart felt like it was being torn apart.

"Loki, please," I whispered, stepping forward. "This isn't the way. You don't have to destroy them. You don't have to prove anything."

Loki's gaze softened for a fraction of a second, and I saw a flicker of the brother I once knew. But then his face hardened again, and he shook his head. "You don't understand, Helena. This is the only way. The Frost Giants will never stop. As long as they live, Asgard will never be safe."

Thor stepped between us, his voice desperate. "There's always another way, brother. Killing them all—it's not justice. It's not what Father taught us."

Loki's eyes flashed with anger, and he took a step forward, his voice rising. "Father taught us to be weak! To let our enemies fester and grow, until they come for us when we're vulnerable. I won't allow it. I won't let Asgard fall because of his mistakes."

I looked between the two of them, my heart pounding. "Loki, please. This isn't you. You're not like this."

His gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, the anger melted away. "I'm doing this for us, Helena. For Asgard. For you."

My chest tightened. "But not like this. Not through destruction."

Thor lifted Mjolnir slightly, his grip tightening. "If you go through with this, Loki... if you destroy Jotunheim, there will be no going back."

Loki's lips curled into a bitter smile. "There never was any going back, Thor."

The tension in the room became unbearable, and I took another step forward, reaching out toward Loki. "Please. Don't do this. Don't destroy everything we are. Everything we've been."